Keep in mind when planting that Hot Chocolate is thought of as very hardy, so this plant will tend to survive through freezing conditions. Hot Chocolate requires a soil ph of 5.6 - 7.5 meaning it does best in weakly acidic soil - weakly alkaline soil.
Soil temperature should be kept higher than
18°C / 64°F to ensure good germination.
By our calculations, you should look at sowing Hot Chocolate about 42 days before your last frost date.
Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Hot Chocolate is a very hardy plant.